Most parents today have accepted the message that the first three years of a baby's life determine whether or not the child will grow into a successful, thinking person. But is this powerful warning true? Do all the doors shut if baby's brain doesn't get just the right amount of stimulation during the first three years of life? Have discoveries from the new brain science really proved that parents are wholly responsible for their child's intellectual successes and failures alike? Are parents losing the "brain wars"? No, argues national expert John Bruer. In The Myth of the First Three Years he offers parents new hope by debunking our most popular beliefs about the all-or-nothing effects of early experience on a child's brain and development.
Challenging the prevailing myth -- heralded by the national media, Head Start, and the White House -- that the most crucial brain development occurs between birth and age three, Bruer explains why relying on the zero to three standard threatens a child's mental and emotional well-being far more than missing a few sessions of toddler gymnastics. Too many parents, educators, and government funding agencies, he says, see these years as our main opportunity to shape a child's future. Bruer agrees that valid scientific studies do support the existence of critical periods in brain development, but he painstakingly shows that these same brain studies prove that learning and cognitive development occur throughout childhood and, indeed, one's entire life. Making hard science comprehensible for all readers, Bruer marshals the neurological and psychological evidence to show that children and adults have been hardwired for lifelong learning. Parents have been sold a bill of goods that is highly destructive because it overemphasizes infant and toddler nurturing to the detriment of long-term parental and educational responsibilities.
The Myth of the First Three Years is a bold and controversial book because it urges parents and decision-makers alike to consider and debate for themselves the evidence for lifelong learning opportunities. But more than anything, this book spreads a message of hope: while there are no quick fixes, conscientious parents and committed educators can make a difference in every child's life, from infancy through childhood, and beyond.
Most parents today have accepted the message that the first three years of a baby's life determine whether or not the child will grow into a successful, thinking person. But is this powerful warning true? Do all the doors shut if baby's brain doesn't get just the right amount of stimulation during the first three years of life? Have discoveries from the new brain science really proved that parents are wholly responsible for their child's intellectual successes and failures alike? Are parents losing the "brain wars"? No, argues national expert John Bruer. In The Myth of the First Three Years he offers parents new hope by debunking our most popular beliefs about the all-or-nothing effects of early experience on a child's brain and development.
Challenging the prevailing myth -- heralded by the national media, Head Start, and the White House -- that the most crucial brain development occurs between birth and age three, Bruer explains why relying on the zero to three standard threatens a child's mental and emotional well-being far more than missing a few sessions of toddler gymnastics. Too many parents, educators, and government funding agencies, he says, see these years as our main opportunity to shape a child's future. Bruer agrees that valid scientific studies do support the existence of critical periods in brain development, but he painstakingly shows that these same brain studies prove that learning and cognitive development occur throughout childhood and, indeed, one's entire life. Making hard science comprehensible for all readers, Bruer marshals the neurological and psychological evidence to show that children and adults have been hardwired for lifelong learning. Parents have been sold a bill of goods that is highly destructive because it overemphasizes infant and toddler nurturing to the detriment of long-term parental and educational responsibilities.
The Myth of the First Three Years is a bold and controversial book because it urges parents and decision-makers alike to consider and debate for themselves the evidence for lifelong learning opportunities. But more than anything, this book spreads a message of hope: while there are no quick fixes, conscientious parents and committed educators can make a difference in every child's life, from infancy through childhood, and beyond.
John T. Bruer, Ph.D., has been President of the James S. McDonnell Foundation in St. Louis since 1986. He also works as a consultant on educational issues for the national media, including The New York Times Magazine. He is author of Schools for Thought: A Science of Learning in the Classroom. Dr. Bruer lives in St. Louis with his wife and two sons.
Charles A. Nelson University of Minnesota John Bruer does a
masterful job in making accessible what truly is and is not known
about early brain development. In light of the current hype of
making "superbabies" and building better brains, Bruer's book
couldn't be more timely or important.
Howard Gardner Harvard University, author of "Frames of Mind: The
Theory of Multiple Intelligences" John Bruer convincingly debunks
current hype about brain research and learning. His careful
discussion and eminently sensible conclusions should shame those
who propose grandiose policies or issue dire warnings on the basis
of scanty or ambiguous data.
Jerome Kagan Harvard University, author of "Nature of the Child"
John Bruer combines a clear, gracefully written critique of the
science cited to support the myth of infant determinism with a
depth of wisdom that parents should be able to use every day.
Jonathan R. Cole Provost and Dean of Faculties, Columbia University
A brilliant, must-read book for anyone interested in the
relationship between science, journalism, and public policy.
Judith Rich Harris author of "The Nurture Assumption" A myth is
still a myth, whether it has its roots in folklore or neuroscience.
In this fascinating book with a very important message, John Bruer
traces the myth of "zero to three" to its sources, reveals the
flimsiness of its foundations, and shows how the purveyors of the
myth, intending to do good instead do harm. Every parent of a young
child should read it, rejoice, and relax.
Robert J. Sternberg IBM Professor of Psychology and Education, Yale
University This outstanding book is essential reading not only
because it tells the truth about what neuroscience currently tells
us, but also because it shows how even well-intentioned scholars
confuse what they want with what actually is true. A true
tour-de-force.
Steven Pinker Director, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, MIT,
author of "The Language Instinct" and "How the Mind Works" John
Bruer offers a voice of sanity, common sense, and genuine expertise
to counter the latest fad from the witch doctors of child
development. Nothing is more important than understanding the
growth of children's minds, and Bruer insightfully reviews the
state of the art with admirable clarity, balance, intelligence, and
humor. This is an indispensable book for parents, professionals,
and anyone else who is interested in the fate of our children.
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
